The Children (Classicus Edition)

Edith Wharton

Summary

The Children is Edith Wharton’s masterful exploration of innocence, responsibility, and the unsettling boundaries of adult desire. Martin Boyne, a respectable Englishman in his forties, encounters a lively band of seven half-abandoned step-siblings wandering through Europe. Drawn to their charm and vulnerability, he finds himself particularly captivated by Judith Wheater, the wise, watchful eldest girl who has taken on the role of surrogate mother. Their growing bond forces Boyne to confront questions of duty, morality, and the aching complexity of love that cannot be spoken.     Set against the elegant yet rootless world of wealthy expatriates in the 1920s, Wharton’s novel dissects the careless adult egos that leave children to fend for themselves in hotels and rail stations. Through crystalline prose and sharp social observation, she reveals a world where divorce and remarriage are treated as fashionable diversions while the youngest pay the price. The children themselves are unforgettable—spirited, loyal, and heartbreakingly aware of the roles they’ve been forced to play too soon.     Wharton balances emotional nuance with unsparing critique, delivering a story that is both tender and unsettling. As Boyne struggles to do right by Judith without betraying his own moral compass, the novel asks difficult questions about protection, temptation, and the real cost of adult failure. The Children stands among Wharton’s most psychologically astute works, illuminating the fragility of childhood and the corrosive power of adult irresponsibility with exquisite precision.     This Classicus edition presents Edith Wharton’s remarkable novel in an elegant, thoughtfully designed volume for contemporary readers. Perfect for lovers of classic literature, social novels, and finely drawn characters, The Children remains a powerful, provocative portrait of lost innocence and moral complexity. Discover or rediscover Wharton’s haunting vision of a world that lets its children wander while the adults look away.

Available since: 07/03/2025.

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